Sheikul Islam, who is appointed by the Thai King to be the leader of Thai Muslims, announced Thursday that the 7.5 million Thai Muslims will celebrate `Eid on Saturday.

Muslim minorities in Europe will also celebrate `Eid Saturday.

"According to astronomical calculations, Friday, October 12, will be the last day of Ramadan and Saturday, October 13, will be the first day of `Eid," said the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR).

The Imams Association in the Netherlands confirmed Saturday as the first day of `Eid.

The Council on Muslim Faith in France said `Eid will be celebrated Saturday because the new moon could not be sighted.

The Islamic Society of North America also announced that `Eid Al-Fitr will fall Saturday in North America.

Morocco, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India sight Shawwal moon Friday

Moon sighting has always been a controversial issue among Muslim countries, and even scholars seem at odds over the issue.

While one group of scholars sees that Muslims in other regions and countries are to follow this sighting as long as these countries share one part of the night, another states that Muslims everywhere should abide by the lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia

RAMADAN AND EID ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE FIQH COUNCIL OF NORTH AMERICA (REVISED)

The Fiqh Council of North America in its meeting in Herndon, Virginia on July 31-August 1, 2007 noted with satisfaction the recent Fatwa of its counterpart in Europe "the European Council for Fatwa and Research" related to the permissibility of the use of calculation method for determining the beginning of Lunar months including the months of Ramadan and Shawwal.

The position of ECFR is very similar to the position of FCNA adopted last year on June 10, 2006, with a minor difference. FCNA adopted the position that the conjunction should occur before noon at Greenwich time. ECFR has adopted Makkah al-Mukarram as a conventional point and took the position that the conjunction must take place before sunset in Makkah and moon must set after sunset in Makkah.

FCNA after careful discussion has revised its position and has adopted the Fatwa of ECFR. This revised position will change only a few dates in the Fiqh Council's Five year calendar; but it will bring greater harmony and unity among the Muslims communities in the West.

On the basis of this new position the dates of Ramadan and Eidul Fitr for this year are as follows:

1st of Ramadan will be on Thursday, September 13, 20071st of Shawwal will be on Saturday, October 13, 2007

Ramadan 1428 AH: The astronomical New Moon is on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 at 12:44 Universal Time (3:44 pm Makkah time). Sunset at Makkah on September 11 is 6:28 pm local time, while moonset at Makkah is at 6:24 pm local time (4 minutes before sunset). This does not meet the new criteria adopted by Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and European Council of Fatwa and Research (ECFR). On Wednesday, September 12, 2007, sunset at Makkah is 6:27 pm local time, while moonset is at 6:55 pm local time. Therefore, first day of Ramadan is Thursday, September 13, insha'Allah.

Eid ul-Fitr 1428 AH: The astronomical New Moon is on Thursday, October 11, 2007, at 5:00 Universal Time (8:00 am Makkah time). Sunset at Makkah on October 11 is 6:00 pm local time, while moonset at Makkah is at 5:59 pm local time (1 minute before sunset). This does not meet the new criteria adopted by FCNA and ECFR. On Friday, October 12, 2007, sunset at Makkah is 5:59 pm local time, while moonset is at 6:32 pm local time. Therefore, first day of Shawwal, i.e., Eid ul-Fitr is Saturday, October 13, insha'Allah.